Council tees up golf deal

THE future of the Helensvale golf course is about to be resolved – as council drives a winner for residents wanting to keep a much-loved community asset.

Recent budget review papers had listed Gold Coast’s only public-owned golf course at the top of “emerging issues” to be resolved.

The golf club is costing ratepayers more than $300,000 as it is maintained without an operator. Council’s preference was to embark on a leasing campaign to find a suitable replacement.

In a closed session at this week’s lifestyle and community committee meeting, councillors voted unanimously for officers to negotiate with an applicant who offered to reinstate the golf course “without the injection of funds from the city”. New lease arrangements will see the new operator given a rent-free period for the first 10 years and charged $640 a week for years 11 to 25.

Residents on the Facebook page of area councillor William Owen-Jones described the move as a great “social and sporting comeback”.

Since the appointment of a receiver to Jigsaw Community Services Limited in 2018, council had conducted two separate tender processes for a lease to manage and operate the course, Cr Owen-Jones said.

“While there were nine expressions of interest received from the second leasing campaign, most required either a loss of land for development to off-set golf course costs, or a significant capital outlay from the city to rebuild the greens, tees and clubhouse,” he said.

Since assuming control of the site, the council had maintained the 45ha property.

Cr Owen-Jones said some residents wanted the course converted to parkland, natural area and sporting facilities, but most at Helensvale wanted it to remain a golf course.

He said about 70 per cent of the site was subject to flooding. It was important koala habitat.

“In late March 2019 an experienced golf course operator approached the city with a proposal to bring the course and associated facilities up to a suitable standard on the basis of a long-term tenure without city investment,” he said.

He said a new operator could take several months to get the course to a playable standard, possibly before the end of the year.

The committee recommendation will be voted on by full council on June 13. Details of the applicant will be made public after talks are finalised.